Next Crystal Palace manager could be Dan Petrescu as chairman jets out for talks

New director of football Iain Moody is said to be a fan of the former Chelsea defender who is now Dinamo Moscow coach

Petrescu to the rescue: Place are understood to be talking to Dinamo's Dan (Photo: Getty)

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Dan Petrescu is a target for managerless Crystal Palace and is set for talks with the Premier League strugglers.

The Romania legend and former Chelsea star has an impressive CV from working in Eastern Europe since hanging up his boots and is the new lead contender for the post.

Petrescu, who has been a boss for a decade with six different clubs in his homeland, Poland and Russia, is willing to sever his ties with Dinamo Moscow and return to England, where he has backers inside Selhurst Park.

Palace have appointed Iain Moody as their new director of football last week, and insiders reveal that Cardiff's former head of recruitment is a fan of Petrescu and is behind the move to approach him.

The Londoners have been looking for a boss since Ian Holloway left, but top candidates such as Alan Pardew and Tony Pulis are either unavailable or unwilling to take on the job.

Parish was impressed by former Manchester United assistant boss Rene Meulensteen and has spoken to Iain Dowie about a possible return to the club he controversially left in 2006.

But the push for Petrescu could be well-timed.

South of the river? Petrescu knows London after five years at Chelsea (Photo: Getty)

The 45-year-old - who also played for Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford - has won title in Romania at unlikely clubs and taken clubs into Europe including Kuban Krasnador as he moves from project to project.

Now the move to England - even on a short-term deal - may appeal to him and his chances are increasing by the day.

Parish was abroad with a delegation for talks with a mystery candidate on Tuesday, with club sources revealing that Petrescu is the man in question.

Dowie, a former Palace player who took them up to the Premier League in 2003-04 just months after taking over a club on the verge of the relegation places, met Parish earlier this week.